A scammer sent a WhatsApp valuation certificate with a government logo — which authorities do you report to?
A fake valuation certificate bearing a government logo must be reported to three separate authorities simultaneously: the cybercrime portal (cybercrime.gov.in) for the fraud itself; the specific government department whose logo was misused, so they can issue a public warning; and the local police for an FIR. The certificate itself is a forged document (BNS Section 340) — its existence is a prosecutable offence independent of whether money changed hands. Reporting to the department whose logo was misused is important because: they can alert the public; they may have a protocol for flagging the scam; and they can confirm to the police that the document is fake.
The three-track reporting
Track 1: Cybercrime portal — cybercrime.gov.in. File immediately with the fake certificate attached as an image; the scammer's WhatsApp number; and a description of the fraud. The portal connects to the state cybercrime cell and triggers investigation.
Track 2: The specific government department — if the certificate bears an RBI logo, report to the RBI's official complaint email or the 1800 425 1800 helpline, noting that their name and logo are being misused in a fraud. If it bears an ASI logo, contact the ASI regional office. If it bears a Finance Ministry logo, contact the Department of Economic Affairs. Government departments typically issue public warnings when their logos are being systematically misused in fraud schemes — adding their official denial of the certificate's authenticity helps police and courts.
Track 3: FIR at local police station — cite BNS Section 340 (forgery of document bearing government logo) + BNS Section 336 (impersonation of government authority) + BNS Section 318 (cheating if money was demanded). Attach the certificate image. Even if no money changed hands, the forgery offence (§340) is complete at the moment the fake certificate was sent.
The forgery offence crystallises on sending — no payment required
This is an important legal point: BNS Section 340 forgery is complete when the false document is made and sent with intent to cause someone to part with property or consent to the retention of property. The scammer who sends a fake RBI valuation certificate via WhatsApp has committed forgery at that moment — even if the victim does not pay anything. The crime is complete on sending, not on payment. This means the victim can file an FIR even if they recognised the fraud before paying anything.
Laws & authorities referenced in this chapter
BNS 2023 — §340 (forgery: complete on sending fake certificate with government logo; independent of payment)
BNS 2023 — §336 (impersonation: government logo misuse = claiming government authority)
BNS 2023 — §318 (cheating: additional offence if money was demanded or paid)
National Cybercrime Reporting Portal — cybercrime.gov.in; formal complaint with forged certificate as evidence
Three-track reporting for fake government logo certificate: (1) cybercrime.gov.in with certificate image + scammer's WhatsApp number; (2) specific government department whose logo was misused — request public warning and authentication of their denial; (3) FIR citing BNS §340 (forgery) + §336 (impersonation) + §318 (cheating if money demanded). BNS §340 forgery is complete on sending the certificate — no payment required for the crime to be complete. File FIR even if you paid nothing.
This is educational content, not legal advice. For a specific situation, please consult a qualified legal professional. Excerpted from Currency, Coins & The Law by Mayank Agarwal, Part 37: The Great Numismatic Fraud Patterns — Fake Valuations, Registration Fee Scams, RBI Impersonation, Forged PMG Certificates, Identity Theft, Five-Step Protection Protocol.